Drowning Leads To Duck Lake State Park Installing Emergency Phones

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MUSKEGON, Mich.– Duck Lake State Park in northern Muskegon received two emergency phones in efforts to improve park safety.

State Rep. Holly Hughes started working with the Muskegon County Parks and Recreation Division and Michigan Department of Natural Resources to increase safety measures after 18-year-old Iisaiah Townsel of Montague drowned in the parks waters last summer.

“I attended the funeral of Iisaiah, which just broke my heart to see someone so young be lost in such a tragic way,” Hughes said.

Frontier Communications installed the phones in a waterproof box. The push of one button will send those in need of help directly to Muskegon County’s central emergency line. The phones can be found along the beaches of the park. One is located near the Duck Lake side of the channel and the other is stationed off Scenic Drive overlooking Lake Michigan.

For those who are not familiar with those areas of the park, a blue strobe light will soon be activated near the phones. The Parks and Recreation Division is also planning to install a direct phone line to the park entrance booth.

“In the future, I would like to see cell phone coverage at the park in addition to the emergency phones,” Hughes said. “It has been suggested that the cell phone tower be called “Iisaiah’s tower”.

anonymous

This is a GREAT start. Thank you Representative Hughes!
There were over 100 drowning on the 5 Great Lakes this year and dozens more on inland lakes & rivers. If we are going to make significant progress on reducing the number of drownings it will take a three pronged attack. The Swim For Life Foundation call them the "SAFER 3". http://www.swimforlife.org/programs-services/safe…
The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project has been collecting data on Great Lakes drownings and running educational programs in hopes of ending these tragic events. For more information please see our facebook page.

tammy

i think that the cell phone tower be called isaiah and justin. after both of the students who drowned in the lake last summer that would be great and an honor to have it name after my son and isiah who both drowned in the lake